Campaigners were greeted with the decision by officials who attended the meeting of patient action group, Community Voice, on Thursday.

It follows their protests against plans to shut all cancer services at Mount Vernon, in Northwood, once its Cancer Centre is transferred to a new hospital to be built in Hatfield.

The possibility of providing a walk-in radiotherapy service at the hospital, in Rickmansworth Road, had been ruled out after a review following a public inquiry in 2002.

Campaigners and former patients at the meeting demanded officials change their minds and prevent cancer patients having to travel to Hatfield or Hammersmith for treatment.

Joan Davis, chairwoman of Community Voice, said at the meeting: “I have fought for what we have had here, which is a first class service. I won’t fight for a second class service at Mount Vernon or anywhere else.

“We must have a local cancer centre to meet our needs because it’s not acceptable to send people through London traffic to Hammersmith, or to Hatfield.

“My challenge to the North West London Strategic Health Authority is to redeem yourselves. Work with us and for us to meet our need, and listen to the views of people to have their own cancer centre here at Mount Vernon.”

Nick Hurd (Con) MP for Ruislip Northwood, said the number of people with cancer is due to grow by 50 per cent by 2012 when the Hatfield hospital is due to open.

Speaking after the meeting he said: “What I asked them to do is reconsider the option of a full service centre at Mount Vernon, because demands on cancer services will have grown so much by then it’s going to be needed.

“Their agreement to do so on Thursday night is a small victory in what’s going to be a very bloody battle.”

Barbara Gill, director of strategy, North West London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) agreed to include Mount Vernon Hospital as a possible site in the next stage of reviews.

She said at the meeting: “I’m going to be very honest with you. That had not been in our minds when we drew the original terms of reference, because we felt that it had been considered in previous reviews.

“My understanding was that had been addressed and dismissed. What I’m hearing from you tonight is that there’s still a belief that you could support another cancer centre.

“I will undertake to feed your views back and that the area can support another cancer centre will be revisited."